GA Study Tour 2016

The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is the Peninsula's largest surviving mangrove. The area has a thriving fishing industry notably cockles - our group took a speedboat along the estuary to view the area at close hand - teeming with wildlife we saw dolphins, Egrets and Sea Eagles anf had a close encounter with friendly Wild Boar at the small community of Kuala Sangga - built on stilts over the area of mangrove we visited the small primary school with a roll of 19 and their 10 teachers. We viewed their classes had a talk by the headteacher and teacher of English before the students sang for us. This area was affected by the 2004 Tsunami and there is much more interest now to protect and educate about their importance.
From the boat trip we visited a "Sustainable" Charcoal factory - in the past much of the mangroves were cleared for development or charcoal production now an area is only cleared when trees are 30 years and that area is left to regrow and clearing takes place somewhere else - the very enthusiastic owner the 3rd generation of charcoal producers explained the process of producing charcoal and it's benefits. We then took a boardwalk through the reserve to see the ecosystem much clearer.
Lunch was at a local fish restaurant.Read more